Relicomp to use the ISO 3834-2 standard for welding quality assurance

In the past year, Relicomp’s welding workshop has been actively striving toward the goal of meeting the standards of the welding quality system. The audit by Bureau Veritas will take place in early autumn 2015.

The test audit in June was a very positive experience and the results were very good. We received good feedback, for example, for our neatly organised welding workshop, welding instructions, as well as machine lists and maintenance registers, which are new to us. While many things have been in good order for a long time, we will now systematically pay more attention to well-defined processes: condition of machines, employee training and regular inspections”, says quality manager Katri Rientamo.

The most significant investment was the employment of a welding advisor who is responsible for quality assurance at a practical level. A suitable person for this job was found inside the company. Before starting his new job in November 2014, Mikko Järviluoma had worked as a welder for nine years.

My tasks include the basic welding workshop activities, such as welder qualification tests, supervision of manufacture and procedure qualification tests, development of welded products and working methods, control of welding equipment maintenance, machine list updates, welding procedure specifications and filler material storage control, Järviluoma explains.

Toward well-defined and more efficient processes

Relicomp wanted to introduce a demanding welding quality system for several reasons. Achieving a quality system certification increases sales and enables access to international markets. It also improves the efficiency of processes and thereby product quality.

We want to demonstrate the high quality of our work to our customers and in this way create reliability in the market, says production manager Timo Rantala.

ISO 3834-2 is a continuation to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. Ambitious steps have been taken for years at Relicomp regarding quality aspects, as the company has a strong desire to remain at the cutting edge of development in the sheet metal technology.

The certification will improve the skills of our employees ensuring more uniform product quality to our customers and enabling minimisation of costs due to low quality. This process has already now remarkably contributed to achieving uniform quality. In concrete terms, this is evidenced by the clear reduction in customer claims, Rientamo points out.

Further information:

Katri Rientamo
Quality manager
Tel. +358 (0)207 404 471
katri.rientamo@relicomp.fi

Timo Rantala
Production manager
Tel. +358 (0)207 404 424
timo.rantala@relicomp.fi